I realize that this is an older post, 2yearsold, but I thought an update on the subject was warranted.
I purchased a 2002 Mustang Pony in May from a local dealer. The car was in decent shape but needed a lot of cleaning and detailing to make it really stand out.
After a complete cleaning and detailing of the exterior, including the use of a clay bar, I was able to bring the color and shine back to this neglected pony.
The engine compartment while pretty clean also needed a good detailing. The aluminum engine had a lot of oxidation and the surrounding components, sidewalls and firewall were dull as dishwater.
In order to prepare the car for local car shows, I decided to completely detail the engine compartment. After using a lot of steel wool to try to clean up the oxidation all I did was smooth off the engine, alternator and AC unit.
My brother suggested using a high temperature aluminum aerosol paint to refresh the engine. This was a very time consuming task with a lot of taping and shielding of components but the results were worth the effort.
At a recent car show, the Reisterstown Festival, my little V6 Mustang showed very well. One of the judges remarked that the engine looked brand new and was surprised to hear that this was a daily driver.
I repainted the side walls and firewall with spray paint and the oxidation is completely gone with a new coat of high temp paint. Now all I have to do is maintain what I've done and possibly do some touch up work occasionally but it did make a big difference.
I've always detailed my engines and since the majority of my cars were purchased new it was just a matter of keeping them clean.
I traded in a 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport SUV with 155,000 miles on it and the engine looked brand new! The dealer told me that because of the mileage that they had wholesaled it but the wholesaler paid top dollar for it because of its like new condition.
Midnight Blue